May 06, 2014

Jones expects defensive linemen to be there for Cowboys, but if not, value on offense would be OK, too

Jerry Jones believes one or more of the draft’s top defensive players will be there when the Cowboys pick in the first round.

But if not, it is not necessarily a disaster for a team seeking to improve it’s league-worst defense from a year ago.

“That means there was some real value over on the offensive side of the ball, and that could result in a heck of a draft,” the Cowboys owner said Tuesday at the team's annual pre-draft press conference. “To say it another way, if you’ve got somebody that shouldn’t be within 20 picks of you that was there, and you add that value to the team? We have needs on the offensive side as well.”

Jones said it’s clear the Cowboys have needs on defense, but that they need to keep their eyes open.

“We shouldn’t go overboard and be influenced to the point where we pass up a great opportunity,” he said.

He added, “We certainly think we’ll have an opportunity to address the interior defense. The question will be whether there will be an alternative there that is better for us – without being trite. There should be defensive linemen there.”